Waiting for license: Day 48

[Jeremiah]

I first found out about this board through Bruce at http://massbackwards.blogspot.com/. I notice that he's been posting his (lack of) progress. I figure it's about time to start with mine.

I applied for a license on June 17th and took my range test on June 24th. Today is 41 days from the day I took my range test and 48 days from the day I filled out the paperwork, and was interviewed.

Because of how ridiculous everything has been going with Bruce, I called them last Wednesday to see how they were doing:
BPD: Everything is in order, it's just waiting for the sgt's approval.
Me: Great. How long do you think that will that take?
BPD: Should be done by next week.
[ok. Late, but a week isn't terrible]

So, a week of opening the mail first thing upon getting home from work, but nothing...

Called again today:
BPD: It just got mailed. Hold on let me check to make sure [accidentally disconnected]
[Alright! I got lucky and the system didn't fail!]
I almost didn't call back, because I had heard what I wanted to hear

Today, 2nd call
BPD: Actually, the application is sitting in the box, waiting for the State.
Me: What? Last week you said that everything was in order.
BPD: Sorry, that was a mistake.
Me: Is there anything I can do about that? Is there anyone at State I can call and ask about the progress?
BPD: No.
Me: I've heard about this, is this the problem where the Mass Department of Public Health just never gets back to you?
BPD: I don't know about that.
Me: Well, what can I do?
BPD: Call back Monday.
Me: Won't that be a nuissance for you, to have me calling all the time?
BPD: That's what we're here for.

So...apparently they have no problem with simply trying to get people off the phone if you call "early" (i.e., before they are officially late).

Rather than simply waiting the ridiculous 6 weeks for something that New Hampshire is capable of accomplishing in one, my application is now apparently in Massachusetts bureaucratic limbo.

By the way, this limbo doesn't seem to effect all of the house/car/dog bills that are still able to be generated and sent out with efficiency.

 

[Lynne]

We empathise hun.

 

[Nickle]

The reason NH is so fast is that they DON'T do ANY background check on non-residents. The ONLY way you can get a NH Non-Resident CCW is if you have a Resident CCW, or live in Vermont, and get your local LEO chied to give you a letter (VT doesn't require permits). If you live in a state that doesn't allow Concealed Carry, like Illinois, I thibk you may find yourself SOL. Not a truly fair comparison.

You actually should compare Mass to other states, like Florida, Utah and a couple others that run background checks. Then you're comparing Apples to Apples. Florida is 90 days or less, Utah is 60 or less (probably less).

And yes, Massbackwards is getting hosed, as you probably also will be. I do have empathy for your situation.

 

[Len-2A Training]

NH now allows you to apply if you already have a CCW from ANY state. This solves the problem for NY/NJ/CA/etc. inmates.

 

[Jeremiah]

By the way, I applied for the Mass. resident license more than 50 days after mAssBackwards. It just to makes his situation even more ridiculous.

Still, this shows that it's good that I got off my ass and looked into licensing when I had the luxury of time, and not the pressing need for security.

 

[Jeremiah]

Good news.

I called the State Criminal History and Systems Board http://www.mass.gov/chsb/ (chose extension 4, I don't know if that was the most appropriate choice), and spoke to someone there. Apparently it's lucky that my application was processed on the new, computerized system. Otherwise I got the impression it was essentially untrackable.

He said that the license had been approved already, printed and mailed out from the State PD to the BPD on July 29th. Apparently the individual cities don't print licenses, they ask the state to print them. I didn't know that. Since the mail has to only travel from Chelsea to Boston, it should already have been delivered to Boston. But, it's conceivable that it could take a few more days.

So, I think I owe the people at the BPD an apology. They were truthful when, during my first call, they said the application was ready for approval. In the most recent conversation, I didn't understand that "waiting for the state" meant "waiting for the state to print the license". I thought it meant "waiting for the state's approval". (This also explains why the person I spoke with today was confused when I started asking about the Department of Public Health, doh!)

 

[Bruce for NH State Rep]

Well, that's awfully [censored] interesting.

Why do I have the feeling they're kjerking my chain because I had the nerve to actually request an unrestricted license? Never mind that I closed my two-page letter to the licensing offcie with this paragraph:

I feel that with the education and training I have received, along with my clean background and my clearly demonstrated desire and ability to avoid potentially dangerous situations of any kind in the interest of providing for my family’s security, I have proven myself to be a worthy candidate for the issuance of a Class "A" (All Lawful Purposes) License to Carry Firearms. I fully understand that current state law gives discretion to the licensing authority to determine what, if any, restrictions are to be placed on the issuance of firearms licenses in the Commonwealth, and will, of course, abide by whatever decisions are made pertaining to my application thereof.

Regardless, CHSB will be getting a friendly phone call from yours truly first thing in the morning.

 

[Bruce for NH State Rep]

My theory: The officer who took my application and entered the information into the electronic form clearly typed "All Lawful Purposes" into the "reason" field on the screen.

(john jay, did you happen to see what they typed in their on your application?)

Anyway, I'm thinking (hoping) it got sent to the CHSB with that info and got printed up as unrestricted. Again, this is most likely a pipe dream on my part, just play along.

So my license shows up at BPD HQ as "All Lawful Purposes" and they've spent the last month and a half trying to figure out a way to undo it without the state noticing anything fraudulent.

Whadda you think?

 

[Jeremiah]

My application was definitely restricted to "sport/target". When I was asked what the application was for, I volunteered "for all lawful purposes", but they told me that I was not allowed to apply for all lawful purposes. No explanation why (because, by definition, there is no explanation that the police could give), but that's what I was told. Since gun ownership alone is a big step in my family, I figure I'll reapply for all lawful purposes if/when the current restrictions feel to severe.

 

[Bruce for NH State Rep]

No answer at CHSB today. Will try them back in an hour or so.

It's now Day #103 for me.

[evil] [evil] [evil] [evil] [evil] [evil] [evil] [evil]

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Glenn hasn't gotten his back yet either,and Alan's FID card has shown up either and they both did theirs at the same time. It took me 9 months to get mine issued and it was a renewal. It's all BS.

 

[Recon_Sine]

Keep the faith guys, as I speak from a recent experience like you guys.
Applied for a renewal on May 10 with an upgrade from a B - All Lawful Purposes to
an A - All Lawful Purposes. It finally showed up at my local PD on July 23.
Date of issue is July 19 on the license, a full 2 months plus from the day I re-applied.
Same as you guys, I had called my local PD weekly and had been
told the standard "call back next week, it should be in." Finally I got a different
answer and was told that the fellows at CHSB had taken a few days off so they
wouldn't be processing any new applications for a couple weeks. And then
another 2 weeks after that it finally came in.
So now I carry everywhere and everytime I go out for the sole reason that
it took so damn long to get it, I'm not going to let it be for nothing.
Just try and stay postitive and TRY to be patient, I know it's difficult!

J